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As the media dust settles around her high-profile wedding last May and the spotlight turns to the newly-announced royal nuptials, Pippa Middleton is back at work and leading the campaign trail for Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK) to help raise awareness of next year’s Paralympics in South Korea.

In her role as patron of the charity Middleton has helped launch its new Ski2Paralympics Challenge – which invites anyone heading to the mountains this winter to contribute to a target of skiing or snowboarding a collective 5,560 miles (the distance from London to Pyeongchang in South Korea) and help raise money for the charity.

To take part in the challenge, holidaymakers need to donate £5 to DSUK’s Ski2Paralympics JustGiving page, then share their mileage at the end of a trip on the campaign’s Facebook page. Participants have to submit a screenshot from a tracking app to prove the distance covered.

“It is clear to me that the work of DSUK changes and enhances people’s lives. Their adaptive snow-sports programmes create opportunities and inspire disabled people through snow sports,” said Middleton.

Middleton joined DSUK as a patron in 2014 and since has used her profile to help spread the charity’s message; that snow sports are for everyone, regardless of disability.

Pippa Middleton is a dedicated skier and has undertaken a number of challenges in the mountainsCredit:
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

DSUK provides access to snow sports for people with a wide variety of disabilities, with programmes that include affordable lessons, group sessions and fun races at UK snow centres, as well as staffed trips to ski resorts. It also provides specialist training for ski and snowboard instructors and a fleet of volunteers.

The Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang kick off on March 9 2018, two weeks after the Winter Olympics end. All the athletes representing Great Britain, including Team GB's youngest Paralympian Millie Knight, are supported by DSUK, which also manages the British Parasnowsport Teams, comprising a full-time elite ski and snowboard squad and part-time youth and adult development squads.

DSUK’s athletes won five medals at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, which included Britain's first ever Winter Paralympic – or Olympic – gold in alpine skiing, for visually impaired Kelly Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister is no stranger to the slopes – a self-confessed adventurer, Pippa Middleton has completed some of the toughest challenges in the mountains including La Patrouille des Glaciers (PDG), a 33-mile endurance race from Zermatt to Verbier, and a marathon cross-country ski race in Norway, both last season.

“There were times on the Patrouille des Glaciers when I was at my absolute limits, myself and my two teammates had to dig deep into our physical and mental reserves but knowing that I was supporting the work of DSUK helped me to keep going,” said Middleton at the Ski2Paralympics launch event.

“So, if you would like more of challenge to your own ski season, then why not take part the DSUK Ski2Paralympics18 and let’s see who can ski to Pyeongchang,” she continued.

Everyone who participates in the Ski2Paralympics challenge and donates to the charity will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance to win prizes from the charity’s sponsors, such as Crystal Ski Holidays, whose Crystal Ski Explorer app is one option for tracking activity on the slopes and contributing to the challenge.

During the launch event DSUK's CEO Fiona Young was presented with a cheque for £77,000 from the tour operator – the donation comes from money raised by customers and employees last winter. Over the last eight years Crystal Ski Holidays has raised nearly £400,000 for the charity.

“As we can’t all be in Pyeongchang to cheer on our Paralympic athletes we’ve decided to partner with Crystal Ski Holidays to create the Ski2Paralympics Challenge,” said Young at the launch of the campaign.

"I know the money donated will make a huge difference to all those who have a disability and take up skiing or snowboarding to rebuild their confidence and have a bit of fun,” said Chris Logan managing director Crystal Ski Holidays.